First, a little bit of theory for those who don't know what SIDs/STARs are: most airports have published prescribed routes that departing and arrival aircraft must follow. This will reduce the workload for the controllers and keep planes away from terrain/obstacles/each other. The procedures a pilot can encounter are:

SIDs (Standard Instrument Departures): they start at each runway and terminate several miles from the airport.

STARs (Standard Terminal Arrival Routes): they start from some fixes at about 40/60 NM from the airport and terminate at some fixes (called "final approach fixes") about 10/20 NM from the runway(s).

Approach procedures: they connect the final approach fixes with each runway.

Transitions: some airports have procedures connecting STARs with approaches (e.g. LFLL, if I'm not mistaken, has them).

Pilots can find those procedures on official charts (each procedure type has one chart). All routes are assigned by the appropriate ATC (Delivery/Ground assigns SIDs, while Center/Approach assigns STARs, always in coordination with Tower): see the ATC Tutorial on the wiki for the phraseology.

As an example, I'll use the Route manager file onox realized for the November 2014 Spanish edition. I'll also assume that you're departing from LEBL, that the departure runway in use is 25L and that ATC has assigned you the OKABI3W SID.

Choose 25L as the departure runway; the SID box is populated with the SIDs applicable to that runway.

Choose the OKABI3W departure from the SID box. The waypoint list will be populated with the same route and altitudes specified on the official departure chart; you can also check the map (Tools -> Map), the route will be marked purple there. As the SID name says, the procedure ends at the OKABI fix, so ATC will instruct you to fly the route you filed or, failing that, fly freely ("resuming your own navigation") after that waypoint. If your aircraft has an autopilot supporting lateral navigation (LNAV), e.g. the 777-200, engaging that mode after departure will make the plane follow the SID (with less intervention on your behalf).

The same goes with arrivals and transitions - try flying the GRAUS1U arrival and then the ILS approach for runway 02. (You'll need both the STAR and the IAC, or instrument approach chart, for this purpose).

Also:

I would suggest beginner pilots to read the ATC Tutorial I mentioned before, as well as the ATC phraseology and Flight planning pages. Though the documentation might be a little intimidating, knowing the correct terminology is essential, especially if we get a good amount of traffic - there isn't much time to guide newcomers when we have 12/15 planes in the air at the same time. For this reason, I would also suggest them to practice at one of the regularly controlled airports well in advance;

regarding ATCs, the original ATC discussion thread is still a good source for Mumble/OpenRadar setup discussions and coordination procedures (the only things that will change are a) the location of the Festival repository, since I created a new one for this edition, and b) the location of the charts we're going to use).

KIWI34 wrote in Mon Sep 21, 2015 3:59 am:well @simbambim i wasn't aware of those centers as I'm from new zealand , but sure i will move/be based in LOVV as center. I just assumed that there would be a huge Europe-center but i was wrong. Yes i am aware of the preparation before the Event ( i dont just rock up and set up for the day ) and ill contact those other confirmed ATC's if there is a practice session. I haven't heard anything on it at the current time.

Above FL245, at least on Vatsim is "Maastricht Control" or EuroControl..?

As for the "voice vs text" issue, I think it depends on the traffic. As you correctly noted, Samedan is a FIR only, but, should a pilot want some visual guidance as well, I think it would be nice. Now, that can be done on text if you've got only a few planes around, but keep in mind traffic could be pretty intense sometimes. In conclusion, I would recommend you to get a microphone (even a cheap headset will do); however, if you're unable to do that (e.g. because you're often on a slow connection like me), that won't be a problem.

<ProceduresDB> <Airport ICAOcode="LEBL"><!-- ICAO code of the airport --> <Star Name="PUMAL 2N" Runways="02,20"> <!-- Name of the STAR and runways for which this STAR is applicable --> <Star_Waypoint ID="1"> <Name>PUMAL</Name><!-- Waypoint name --> <Type>Normal</Type><!-- "Normal" for normal fixes, "Hold" for holding points (circuits used by pilots to wait for landing) --> <Latitude>42.36680599999999</Latitude><!-- Latitude and longitude, you can use the findNavaidsWithinRange() Nasal function to calculate them --> <Longitude>2.008459999999999</Longitude> <!-- Some waypoints have altitude/speed restrictions; in that case, specify them below. If there are no such restrictions, omit the relevant tags. --> <Altitude>7000</Altitude> <AltitudeRestriction>above</AltitudeRestriction><!-- above, below or at --> <Speed>265</Speed> </Star_Waypoint> <!-- ... --> <Star_Waypoint ID="4"> <Name>KOSIT</Name> <Type>Hold</Type> <Latitude>41.93527999999999</Latitude> <Longitude>2.060277999999999</Longitude> <Hld_Rad_value>175</Hld_Rad_value><!-- Radial value --> <Hld_Turn>Left</Hld_Turn><!-- Left/right turn --> <Hld_Rad_or_Inbd>Rad</Hld_Rad_or_Inbd><!-- Specifies if the heading for the holding pattern is measured by taking the angle from the fix to the circuit (radial) or from the circuit to the fix (inbound) --> <!-- The length of some circuits is specified using the time a pilot takes to complete them, others are specified by measuring their length in NM. Make the appropriate choice --> <Hld_Time_or_Dist>Time</Hld_Time_or_Dist> <Hld_td_value>1.0</Hld_td_value> </Star_Waypoint> </Star> <Sid Name="AGENA1E" Runways="02"> <Sid_Waypoint ID="1"> <Name>RW20</Name> <Type>Normal</Type> <Latitude>41.309343</Latitude> <Longitude>2.094691</Longitude> </Sid_Waypoint> <!-- ... --> </Sid> </Airport></ProceduresDB>

You can use the textual descriptions of the procedures in the charts/local knowledge... as a source.

simbambim wrote in Mon Sep 21, 2015 1:12 pm:Why hasn't onox's file been added to FG so that people don't need to download any additional files?

As of now (unlike OpenRadar and ground network files):

X-Plane's waypoint database is outdated (I have privately mailed the X-Plane Gateway moderators and asked them if they wanted to expand the Gateway in the future to accept waypoint/navaid updates - they have no plans to do so at this time, so any update must still be e-mailed to Robin Peel, and it takes a long time for them to be imported to FlightGear), while procedures might change every month and require an up-to-date waypoint database;

EUROCONTROL's Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC), located at Maastricht Aachen Airport, provides air traffic control for traffic above 24,500 ft over Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and north-west Germany. A DFS unit, controlling military air traffic over the north-west of Germany, is co-located with the civil facilities. It started operations in 1972.[2]

Would I have to type it all manually? I know how to save a route file in FG for later loading. Is it possible to use the file FG creates?I'm not a programmer, if it's manual, I omit one space and the whole file is invalid.

The Festival of Flightgear is the largest and longest multiplayer event in Flightgear. (48h straight)

It began 4 years ago, with the airH5 48hour service in EHAM during FSWeekend. This was a massive 48hour continuous ATC service in EHAM that coincided with the FSWeekend. And it was achieved by the coordinated efforts of 6 different community members.

METAL invited for a festival in Flightgear, idea that was succesfully embraced.

The First "Festival" Took place exactly one year ago, during FSWeekend, in Spain/Portugal. The event was a resounding success, and we agreed to make two Festivals a year. The Fall Festival coincides with FSWeekend (November 7th and 8th 2015) somewhere in Europe, while the Spring festival occurs elsewhere in the world, exactly 6 months after (SAT/SUN). The events are 48hours, beginning at 0:00UTC on Saturday and ending on 0:00UTC on Monday.

What does occur?

The event is a free for all event. To participate, all you need to do is come to the participant countries. There are several modes

1. The Controlled environment: People interested in ATC services coordinate with elgaton and IAHM-COL and create a network of ATC service accross the location of the event. (like Spain/Portugal, or Brazil/Argentina, and now Austria-Switzerland). Many enthusiasth allow the creation of a vast network of controlled airports and pilots can enjoy the most interactive controlled environments Flightgear has to offer. In addition, we effort, practice and study charts to attempt at realistic services. Pilots ARE NOT required to know how to interact well, or be good at phraseology. All it is expected is willingness to learn and come to have fun (as oppose to bring a troll attitude)

2. The controlled environment-- uncontrolled pilot: If a pilot wants to join the crowd, but is unwilling to be controlled, just shoot a message to the guys. We are in mumble and communicate very efficiently, so we will know rapidly you don't want to be controlled, and we will let you stroll around by yourself. We may warn pilots around you of your impredictability, but otherwise, its all good

3. The uncontrolled environment: We can't possibly cover every airport in Austria - Switzerland. Feel free to fly into or outo any airport of these countries within the specified time. That's a way of participate. Any aircraft is valid.

4. The games: an interesting thing you can do in the Festival is coordinate mini-events or games. Invite people to challenges (like the Fly the Santos Dumont Challenge by Lesbof) or propose mini flies in group in the area. These are tipically quite fun to be performed in GA aircrafts, or aerobatics --or otherwise particularly challenging enginges

5. The festival is open to all, and it is an invitation to come as a community and enjoy together the Flightgear Flight Simulator.

Regarding the practice session: from private communication and a separate thread on Jabberwocky's forum, IAHM-COL and legoboyvdlp should be fine with October 17th at 19 UTC - it's fine for me as well.@KIWI34 (and daweed/J Maverick 16), is that fine for you?